Swing frame for hanging a swing chair

ABSTRACT

A swing frame includes a pair of support frame units, a hollow horizontal bar, and two primary locking devices. Each of the support frame units includes upper, lower, and intermediate portions. The upper portion is formed with a horizontal hollow tube at the top end thereof. The horizontal bar has opposite end portions inserted respectively into the hollow tubes of the support frame units. The primary locking devices are disposed respectively on the end portions of the horizontal bar, thereby locking the end portions of the horizontal bar relative to the hollow tubes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The invention relates to a swing frame, more particularly to aswing frame having locking devices for hanging stably a swing chair.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional swing includes a swing frame1, a cover frame 2, and a swing chair 3 hung on the swing frame 1. Theconventional swing frame 1 comprises a pair of opposite leg frame units11, a top horizontal bar 12 connected between the leg frame units 11,and a pair of vertical connecting sleeves 121. Each leg frame unit 11has a front leg rod 111 and a rear leg rod 112 connected to anintermediate portion of the front leg rod 111 by means of screws 15 andnuts 16. Each front leg rod 111 has an open top end 113. Each of theconnecting sleeves 121 is welded to a corresponding end of thehorizontal bar 12, and has a lower section 122 formed with a decreasingdiameter. The lower section 122 is inserted into the top end 113 of acorresponding one of the front leg rods 111, and is retained thereon bymeans of a pair of clamp plates 13 and a plurality of screws 17.

[0005] As mentioned above, the conventional swing frame 1 has twoconnecting sleeves 121 that are welded to the respective opposite endsof the horizontal bar 12 to connect with the respective leg frame units11 by screws 15 and nuts 16. Due to the forces induced upon swinging theswing chair 3, the connection between the connecting sleeves 121 and theleg frame units 11 is liable to become loosened after using the swingframe 1 for a short period of time. Furthermore, since the front andrear leg rods 111, 112 are simply connected by welding and screwconnection, when the swing frame 1 supports a heavy load, the front andrear leg rods 111, 112 are easily disintegrated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to providea swing frame having stable locking devices in order to overcome theaforementioned drawbacks of the prior art.

[0007] Accordingly, a swing frame of this invention comprises a pair ofsupport frame units, a hollow horizontal bar, and two primary lockingdevices. Each of the support frame units includes an upper portion, alower portion opposite to the upper portion, and an intermediate portionconnecting the upper and lower portions. The upper portion is formedwith a horizontal hollow tube at the top end thereof. The hollowhorizontal bar is adapted to hang a swing chair, and has opposite endportions that are inserted respectively into the hollow tubes of thesupport frame units. The primary locking devices are disposedrespectively on the end portions of the horizontal bar to lock the endportions of the horizontal bar relative to the hollow tubes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Other features and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent in the following detailed description of the preferredembodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

[0009]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a swing with a conventional swingframe;

[0010]FIG. 2 is an exploded fragmentary perspective view of theconventional swing frame;

[0011]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of aswing frame according to the present invention;

[0012]FIG. 4 is an exploded fragmentary perspective view of the swingframe of FIG. 3; and

[0013]FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional schematic view of thepreferred embodiment illustrating how an end of a horizontal bar and anupper end of a front leg rod are inter-engaged.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0014] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the preferred embodiment of a swingframe 4 according to the present invention is provided for hanging aswing chair (as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 3). The swing frame 4comprises a pair of opposite support frame units 5, a base bar 6, ahollow horizontal bar 7, two primary locking devices 8, and twosecondary locking devices 9. Each of the support frame units 5 isadapted to be disposed on a ground surface, and includes an upperportion 512, a lower portion 513 opposite to the upper portion 512, andan intermediate portion 511 connecting the upper and lower portions 512,513. The upper portion 512 is formed with a horizontal hollow tube 515at the top end thereof. The hollow tube 515 has two opposite open ends516, 517. The upper portion 512 further has a connector 53 disposedbelow the hollow tube 515 for mounting a sun shade (not shown) that canbe placed above the swing frame 4. Since the sun shade is not a mainpoint of the present invention, a detailed description thereof will bedispensed with herein for the sake of brevity. The intermediate portion511 has two pairs of diametrically opposed holes 514. Each of thesupport frame units 5 is bifurcated at the intermediate portion 511 toform a curved front foot rod 51 and a rear foot rod 52. The front footrod 51 extends downwardly and frontwardly, and formed as one piece withthe intermediate portion 511. The rear foot rod 52 extends downwardlyand rearwardly, and is a separate piece from the intermediate portion511. The rear foot rod 52 has an upper section 521 that is welded to acorresponding one of the intermediate portions 511 of the support frameunits 5, a lower section 522 opposite to the upper section 521, and twopairs of diametrically opposed holes 523 that are disposed proximate tothe upper section 521.

[0015] The base bar 6 has opposite ends that are connected removably andrespectively with the lower sections 522 of the rear foot rods 52.

[0016] The hollow horizontal bar 7 is adapted to hang a swing chair andis disposed above and in parallel with the base bar 6. The horizontalbar 7 has opposite end portions 711 each including a fixed end plate 82.The end portion 711 is inserted through one end 516 of the correspondinghollow tube 515. The end plate 82 has a center screw hole 821.

[0017] The primary locking devices 8 are disposed respectively on theend portions 711 of the horizontal bar 7 for locking the end portions711 of the horizontal bar 7 relative to the hollow tubes 515, andincludes a limiting ring 81, a side cover plate 83, a washer 84, and afirst screw unit 85. The limiting ring 81 is welded on the outerperiphery of the corresponding end portion 711 of the horizontal bar 7inwardly of the corresponding hollow tube 515. The side cover plate 83covers the corresponding end 517 of the hollow tubes 515 outwardly ofthe end plate 82 of the horizontal bar 7, and has a center through-hole831. The first screw unit 85 has a long threaded portion 851 and a headportion 852 opposite to the threaded portion 851. The threaded portion851 of the screw unit 85 extends through a hole 841 of the washer 84,and the through-hole 831 of the side cover plate 83, and is threadedinto the screw hole 821 of the corresponding end plate 82, therebyabutting the end 516 of the tube 515 against the limiting ring 81, andthereby abutting the head portion 852 against the washer 84. As such,the end portions 711 of the horizontal bar 7 are fastened securely tothe respective hollow tubes 515. As shown in FIG. 5, a space 86 isformed between the side cover plate 83 and the end plate 82 of thehorizontal bar 7 after each of the side cover plates 83 covers the end517 of the corresponding tube 515.

[0018] Each secondary locking device 9 includes a pair of substantiallyT-shaped clamp plates 91 sandwiching and clamping the front and rearfoot rods 51, 52 and the intermediate portion 511. The clamp plates 91have two complementing upward curved plate sections 915, twocomplementing downward and frontward curved plate sections 911, and twocomplementing downward and rearward curved plate sections 912. Each ofthe upward curved plate sections 915 has a hole 913 in alignment withone pair of diametrically opposed holes 514 on the intermediate portions511. Each of the downward and frontward curved plate sections 911 has ahole 916 in alignment with the other pair of diametrically opposed holes514 on the intermediate portion 511. Each of the downward and rearwardcurved plate sections 912 has a pair of diametrically opposed holes 914in alignment with the holes 523 on the rear foot rod 52. Each of thesecondary locking devices 9 further has a plurality of second screwunits 92 and a plurality of nuts 93. Each of the second screw units 92extends from respective holes 913, 916, 914 on the clamp plates 91through the respective holes 514, 523 on the intermediate portion 511and the rear foot rod 52. The nuts 93 are attached respectively to thesecond screw units 92, so that the front and rear foot rods 51, 52 andthe intermediate portion 511 are clamped securely together by the clampplates 91.

[0019] In this embodiment, since the opposite ends 711 of the horizontalbar 7 are inserted into and integrally connected with the respectivehorizontal hollow tubes 515 at the upper portions 512 of the swing frame4, the swing frame 4 is durable and will not become loosened after along period of use. Furthermore, because the welded connection of thefront and rear foot rods 51, 52 is reinforced with the intermediateportion 511 by clamp plates 91, a strong joint results in the swingframe 4.

[0020] While the present invention has been described in connection withwhat is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it isunderstood that this invention is not limited to the disclosedembodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included withinthe spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompassall such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

I claim:
 1. A swing frame for hanging a swing chair comprising: a pairof support frame units, each of which includes an upper portion, a lowerportion opposite to said upper portion, and an intermediate portionconnecting said upper and lower portions, said upper portion beingformed with a horizontal hollow tube at the top end thereof; a hollowhorizontal bar adapted to hang the swing chair and having opposite endportions that are inserted respectively into said hollow tubes of saidsupport frame units; and two primary locking devices disposedrespectively on said end portions of said horizontal bar to lock saidend portions of said horizontal bar relative to said hollow tubes. 2.The swing frame of claim 1, wherein said end portions of said horizontalbar are respectively provided with fixed end plates to close said endportions, each of said locking devices including a pair of side coverplates respectively covering said tubes of said support frame unitsoutwardly of said end plates, and a first screw unit extending throughone of said cover plates and one of said end plates to fasten togetherthe same.
 3. The swing frame of claim 1, wherein each of said primarylocking devices further has a limiting ring, said limiting ring beingdisposed around a corresponding one of said end portions of saidhorizontal bar inwardly of the corresponding one of said hollow tubes,each of said hollow tubes having one end abutting against said limitingring.
 4. The swing frame of claim 1, wherein each of said support frameunits is bifurcated at said intermediate portion to form front and rearfoot rods, said front foot rod extending downwardly and frontwardly,said rear foot rod extending downwardly and rearwardly.
 5. The swingframe of claim 4, wherein said front foot rod is formed as one piecewith said intermediate portion, said rear foot rod is welded to saidintermediate portion, each of said support frame units further includinga secondary locking device which includes a pair of substantiallyT-shaped clamp plates sandwiching and clamping together said front andrear foot rods and said intermediate portion, said clamp plates havingtwo complementing upward curved plate sections, two complementingdownward and frontward curved plate sections, and two complementingdownward and rearward curved plate sections.